Fire tax may go down in flames

In a new scandal that might turn out well for rural homeowners, state officials again have been caught sloshing around tax dollars in violation of the law.

Last year property owners in areas defended by Cal Fire were shocked to receive notices demanding they pay $150 for the annual cost of fire-prevention programs. The new tax was passed in 2011 by Democratic lawmakers – who called it a “fee” so that passage required just a simple majority – in a transparent effort by Gov. Jerry Brown to raise cash by any means necessary.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association sued, arguing that it was a tax and thus required a two-thirds majority vote. They have a good case.

On Feb. 4, Brown’s Department of Finance disclosed that, along with inspecting homes for wildfire vulnerability and creating maps, the state had diverted fees into a fund for wildfire investigations, according to a Sacramento Bee report. The state Office of Legislative Counsel promptly declared this spending on law enforcement to be illegal.

The news follows revelations that officials hid wildfire settlement funds in a secret account. Now Democrats are moving to reclassify the fee as a tax.

Backcountry residents already pay property taxes for firefighting, and most also pay extra for special districts. This third tax deserves a quick death.